This invention generally relates to computer/user interfaces and, more particularly, to a data entry screen which provides a means for identifying to a user those fields where data may be entered and those fields in which data must be entered.
In business applications of computers and data processing systems, one of the most common tasks of a user is that of entering data into fields on a display screen. This is typically done by positioning a cursor at the beginning of a data entry field and entering the data via a keyboard. The display screen simulates a preprinted form, such as for example an order form or shipping invoice, and as in a preprinted form, each data entry field is defined by underscores or some other delineation.
The code for the display screen allows the cursor to be moved anywhere within the display area, but entries are accepted only for defined data entry fields. Alternatively, in some systems, the code for the display screen prevents the cursor from being moved anywhere within the display area except for data entry fields. In either case, the procedure usually followed is for the cursor to automatically go to the beginning of the first data entry field, then when the user enters the data for that field by typing in the data, the cursor automatically goes to the beginning of the next data entry field, and so forth. If no data is to be entered in a given field, the user merely presses the TAB or RETURN key to cause the cursor to move to the next field. Upon completion of all of the data entries, the user presses the ENTER key. In systems where the ENTER and TAB or RETURN functions are provided by the same key, pressing that key causes the cursor to move to the next data entry field.
It is of course not necessary to display the document that will be printed on the data entry screen. Instead, the data entry fields might be displayed in tabular form adjacent prompts indicating the type of data that should be input for each field. These prompts might be, for example, the date, a purchaser's name and company, the addresses of the purchaser and place of shipment, the goods purchased, and identifying stock numbers and prices and so forth. This data is then merged with the text of the order form and/or shipping invoice in the printing operation.
In the past, data entry systems of this type have generally been passive rather than interactive with the user. Either the user was allowed to skip past data entry fields by pressing the key which served to enter data or, where data entry was madatory in a particular field, the cursor would not move until data was entered in the field and then the key pressed. More recently, interactive data entry systems have been developed wherein some aspect of the entered data is checked to provide an indication of whether the data entered is correct or not. For example, if the postal zip code does not correspond to the city and state of an entered address or if the stock number or price does not correspond to the description of goods, the data entry system displays and error message. The user must then check the data entered and then enter the correct data. In other systems, provision has been made to distinguish those fields where data entry is optional.
Thus, the trend in interactive data entry systems is to both simplify and minimize errors in the data entry process.